Image Forming System That Identifies Who Has Performed Printing

ABSTRACT

An image forming system includes a portable terminal device, an image forming apparatus, and a marker registration circuit. The image forming apparatus prints a marker associated with location information of a user who has instructed execution of printing on a recording medium. The portable terminal device includes an information acquisition circuit and a position notification image output circuit. The information acquisition circuit photographs a marker printed on a recording medium using an imaging device so as to acquire the location information registered in the marker registration circuit, and the location information is associated with the marker photographed by the imaging device. The position notification image output circuit outputs a position notification image that notifies a position corresponding to the location information acquired by the information acquisition circuit to an output device.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

This application is based upon, and claims the benefit of priority from,corresponding Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-089898 filed in theJapan Patent Office on Apr. 25, 2015, the entire contents of which areincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the description in this section isnot prior art to the claims in this application and is not admitted tobe prior art by inclusion in this section.

There is known a typical image forming system that combines a state ofthe image forming apparatus with a position corresponding to the imageforming apparatus in a photographed image.

SUMMARY

An image forming system according to one aspect of the disclosureincludes a portable terminal device, an image forming apparatus, and amarker registration circuit. The portable terminal device includes animaging device and an output device. The image forming apparatusperforms printing on a recording medium. The marker registration circuitregisters a marker. The image forming apparatus prints the markerassociated with location information of a user who has instructedexecution of printing on the recording medium. The marker registrationcircuit registers the location information associated with the marker.The portable terminal device includes an information acquisition circuitand a position notification image output circuit. The informationacquisition circuit photographs the marker printed on the recordingmedium using the imaging device so as to acquire the locationinformation registered in the marker registration circuit, and thelocation information is associated with the marker photographed by theimaging device. The position notification image output circuit outputs aposition notification image that notifies a position corresponding tothe location information acquired by the information acquisition circuitto the output device.

These as well as other aspects, advantages, and alternatives will becomeapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the followingdetailed description with reference where appropriate to theaccompanying drawings. Further, it should be understood that thedescription provided in this summary section and elsewhere in thisdocument is intended to illustrate the claimed subject matter by way ofexample and not by way of limitation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an image forming systemaccording to one embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a functional block configuration of an MFP accordingto the one embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of a configuration of an MFPillustrated in FIG. 1, which is different from the MFP illustrated inFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates a functional block configuration of the MFP accordingto the one embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a functional block configuration of a serveraccording to the one embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic diagram of exemplary document managementinformation according to the one embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic diagram of exemplary marker managementinformation according to the one embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates a schematic diagram of exemplary desk positioninformation according to the one embodiment.

FIG. 9 illustrates a block configuration of a mobile device according tothe one embodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates a flowchart of an operation of the MFP according tothe one embodiment when print data is received.

FIG. 11 illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary recording mediumon which a marker is printed by the operation illustrated in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary recording mediumon which markers are printed by the operation illustrated in FIG. 10,which is an example different from the example illustrated in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 illustrates a flowchart of an operation of the MFP according tothe one embodiment when print data is received.

FIG. 14 illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary marker displayon which a marker is displayed by the operation illustrated in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 illustrates a flowchart of an operation of the mobile deviceaccording to the one embodiment when a marker is photographed.

FIG. 16 illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary image displayedon a display when the marker illustrated in FIG. 11 is photographed.

FIG. 17 illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary image displayedon the display when the marker illustrated in FIG. 14 is photographed.

FIG. 18 illustrates a flowchart of an operation of the mobile deviceaccording to the one embodiment when notifying a position of a user whohas instructed execution of printing.

FIG. 19A illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary image of anactual desk position photographed by an imaging unit according to theone embodiment.

FIG. 19B illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary positionnotification image generated based on the image illustrated in FIG. 19A.

FIG. 20 illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary image displayedon the display when the marker illustrated in FIG. 11 is photographed,which is an example different from the example illustrated in FIG. 16.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example apparatuses are described herein. Other example embodiments orfeatures may further be utilized, and other changes may be made, withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presentedherein. In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

The example embodiments described herein are not meant to be limiting.It will be readily understood that the aspects of the presentdisclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in thedrawings, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, anddesigned in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which areexplicitly contemplated herein.

The following describes one embodiment of the disclosure with referenceto the drawings.

First, the following describes a configuration of an image formingsystem according to the embodiment.

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an image forming system 10according to the embodiment.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the image forming system 10 includes aplurality of multifunction peripherals (MFPs) including MFPs 20 and 30,a server 40, such as a personal computer (PC), and a mobile device 50,such as a smart phone, a tablet, and a small-sized personal computer.The server 40 manages the plurality of the MFPs. The plurality of theMFPs in the image forming system 10, the server 40, and the mobiledevice 50 are communicatively connected to one another via a network 11,such as a local area network (LAN) or an Internet. The mobile device 50constitutes a portable terminal device of the disclosure.

The plurality of the MFPs in the image forming system 10 each have aconfiguration similar to a configuration of the MFP 20 or the MFP 30.The following describes the MFP 20 and the MFP 30 for representing theplurality of the MFPs in the image forming system 10 accordingly.

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the MFP 20.

The MFP 20 includes an operation unit 21, a display 22, a scanner 23, aprinter 24, a fax communication unit 25, a communication unit 26, astorage unit 27, and a control unit 28 as illustrated in FIG. 2. Theoperation unit 21 is an input device such as a button, with which a userinputs various operations. The display 22 is a display device such as aliquid crystal display (LCD), which displays various pieces ofinformation. The scanner 23 is a reading device that reads an image froma document. The printer 24 is a print device that performs printing on arecording medium such as a paper sheet. The fax communication unit 25 isa fax device that performs fax communications with an external facsimiledevice (not illustrated) via a communication line such as a dial-upline. The communication unit 26 is a communication device thatcommunicates with an external device via the network 11 (see FIG. 1).The storage unit 27 is a non-volatile storage device, which storesvarious data, such as an electrically erasable programmable read onlymemory (EEPROM, registered trademark) or a hard disk drive (HDD). Thecontrol unit 28 controls the entire MFP 20.

The control unit 28 includes, for example, a central processing unit(CPU), a read only memory (ROM), which stores programs and various data,and a random access memory (RAM), which is used as a work area of theCPU. The CPU ensures execution of programs stored in the ROM or thestorage unit 27.

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates the configuration of the MFP 30. FIG. 4illustrates a block diagram of the MFP 30.

The MFP 30 includes an operation unit 31, a display 32, a scanner 33,and a printer 34 as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The operation unit 31is an input device such as a button, with which the user inputs variousoperations. The display 32 is a display device such as an LCD thatdisplays various pieces of information. The scanner 33 is a readingdevice that reads an image from a document. The printer 34 is a printdevice that performs printing on a recording medium such as a papersheet.

Here, the printer 34 includes a plurality of discharge units 34 a thatdischarges a printed recording medium.

The MFP 30 includes a plurality of marker displays 35, a faxcommunication unit 36, a communication unit 37, a storage unit 38, and acontrol unit 39. The marker display 35 is a display device such as theLCD, which is located corresponding to the discharge unit 34 a. The faxcommunication unit 36 is a fax device that performs fax communicationswith an external facsimile device (not illustrated) via a communicationline such as a dial-up line. The communication unit 37 is acommunication device that communicates with an external device via thenetwork 11 (see FIG. 1). The storage unit 38 is a non-volatile storagedevice such as an EEPROM or an HDD, which stores various data. Thecontrol unit 39 controls the entire MFP 30.

The control unit 39 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM, which storesprograms and various data, and a RAM, which is used as a work area ofthe CPU. The CPU ensures execution of programs stored in the ROM or thestorage unit 38.

FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of the server 40.

The server 40 includes an operation unit 41, a display 42, acommunication unit 43, a storage unit 44, and a control unit 45 asillustrated in FIG. 5. The operation unit 41 is an input device such asa computer mouse or a keyboard, with which a user inputs variousoperations. The display 42 is a display device such as an LCD thatdisplays various pieces of information. The communication unit 43 is acommunication device that communicates with an external device via thenetwork 11 (see FIG. 1). The storage unit 44 is a non-volatile storagedevice such as an HDD that stores various data. The control unit 45controls the entire server 40.

The storage unit 44 stores information for authentication 44 a, such asa combination of a user ID and a password, for authenticating the user.

The storage unit 44 stores document management information 44 b formanaging a document printed by the MFP in the image forming system 10.

The storage unit 44 stores marker management information 44 c formanaging a marker associated with identification information of theuser. Namely, the server 40 constitutes a marker registration unit (alsoreferred to as a marker registration circuit) that registers the marker.

The storage unit 44 stores desk position information 44 d for managinglocation information of the user.

The control unit 45 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM, which storesprograms and various data, and a RAM, which is used as a work area ofthe CPU. The CPU executes programs stored in the ROM or the storage unit44.

FIG. 6 illustrates exemplary document management information 44 b.

The document management information 44 b associates at least, forexample, a job ID, which is identification information of a print job,the user ID, which is one aspect of the identification information ofthe user who has instructed execution of the printing, and a documentimage as a print job target, that is, a thumbnail of an image printed onthe recording medium one another and includes the pieces of theassociated information as illustrated in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 illustrates exemplary marker management information 44 c.

The marker management information 44 c associates at least, for example,the marker and the user ID of the user who has instructed the executionof the printing one another and includes the associated information asillustrated in FIG. 7.

FIG. 8 illustrates exemplary desk position information 44 d.

The desk position information 44 d associates at least, for example, theuser ID of the user and the location information of the user one anotherand includes the associated information as illustrated in FIG. 8.

The server 40 associates the user ID and the thumbnail of the image oneanother to register the associated information in the documentmanagement information 44 b illustrated in FIG. 6 and associates themarker and the user ID of the user one another to register theassociated information in the marker management information 44 cillustrated in FIG. 7. Namely, the server 40 associates the marker andthe thumbnail of the image one another corresponding to a combination ofthe document management information 44 b and the marker managementinformation 44 c to register the associated information.

The server 40 associates the marker and the user ID of the user oneanother to register the associated information in the marker managementinformation 44 c illustrated in FIG. 7 and associates the user ID of theuser and the location information of the user one another to registerthe associated information in the desk position information 44 dillustrated in FIG. 8. Namely, the server 40 associates the marker andthe location information of the user one another corresponding to acombination of the marker management information 44 c and the deskposition information 44 d to register the associated information.

FIG. 9 illustrates a block diagram of the mobile device 50.

The mobile device 50 includes an operation unit 51, a display 52, animaging unit 53, a position detection unit 54, a direction detectionunit 55, a wireless communication unit 56, a storage unit 57, and acontrol unit 58 as illustrated in FIG. 9. The operation unit 51 is aninput device such as a button, to which various operations are input.The display 52 is a display device such as an LCD, which displaysvarious pieces of information. The imaging unit 53 is an imaging device.The position detection unit 54 is a position detection device such as aGlobal Positioning System (GPS) receiver that detects a present locationin an actual space of the mobile device 50. The direction detection unit55 is a direction detection device such as an acceleration sensor thatdetects a present direction in the actual space of the mobile device 50.The wireless communication unit 56 is a communication device thatcommunicates with an external device via the network 11 (see FIG. 1)using wireless communication. The storage unit 57 is a non-volatilestorage device such as an HDD that stores programs and various data. Thecontrol unit 58 controls the entire mobile device 50.

The operation unit 51 includes an input device that constitutes a touchpanel along with the display 52.

The control unit 58 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM, which storesprograms and various data, and a RAM, which is used as a work area ofthe CPU. The CPU ensures execution of programs stored in the ROM or thestorage unit 57.

The execution of the programs stored in the ROM or the storage unit 57causes the control unit 58 to function as an information acquisitionunit 58 a and a position notification image output unit 58 b. Theinformation acquisition unit 58 a acquires the location information andthe user ID, which are associated with the marker photographed by theimaging unit 53 and registered in the server 40 (see FIG. 5). Theposition notification image output unit 58 b outputs a positionnotification image, which notifies a position corresponding to thelocation information acquired by the information acquisition unit 58 a,to the display 52. The information acquisition unit 58 a is alsoreferred to as an information acquisition circuit. The positionnotification image output unit 58 b is also referred to as a positionnotification image output circuit.

Next, the following describes an operation of the image forming system10.

First, the following describes an operation of the MFP 20 when printdata is received.

FIG. 10 illustrates the operation of the MFP 20 when print data isreceived.

When the user transmits the print data from a computer (not illustrated)to the MFP 20, the MFP 20 performs the operation illustrated in FIG. 10.

The control unit 28 in the MFP 20 receives the transmitted print dataand transmitted information for authentication of the user associatedwith this print data via the communication unit 26 as illustrated inFIG. 10 (see S101).

Next, the control unit 28 requests user authentication to the server 40by transmitting the information for authentication received in S101 tothe server 40 via the communication unit 26 (see S102).

Here, the control unit 45 in the server 40 performs the userauthentication based on the received information for authentication whenreceiving the transmitted information for authentication from the MFP 20via the communication unit 43. Specifically, the control unit 45determines that the user authentication has succeeded when theinformation for the authentication 44 a in the storage unit 44 includesthe received information for authentication. The control unit 45determines that the user authentication has failed when the informationfor the authentication 44 a in the storage unit 44 does not include thereceived information for authentication. Then, the control unit 45replies a result of the authentication to the MFP 20 via thecommunication unit 43.

When the control unit 28 receives the result of the authenticationtransmitted from the server 40 via the communication unit 26 after theprocess S102, the control unit 28 determines whether or not the receivedresult shows a success (see S103).

When, in S103, the control unit 28 determines that the authenticationhas not succeeded, that is, the authentication has failed, the controlunit 28 terminates the operation illustrated in FIG. 10 after discardingthe print data received in S101 (see S104).

When, in S103, the control unit 28 determines that the authenticationhas succeeded, the control unit 28 generates a marker (see S105). Forexample, the control unit 28 may generate a figure or a character as themarker, or may employ at least a part of printing contents instructedfrom the user as the marker.

Next, the control unit 28 transmits the user ID as the information forauthentication received in S101 and the marker generated in S105 to theserver 40. This causes the server 40 to update the marker managementinformation 44 c.

After that, the control unit 28 performs printing including the markergenerated in S105 based on the print data received in S101 (see S107).

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 11, when the printer 34 prints animage 91 based on the print data received in S101 on a recording medium90, the control unit 28 may cause the printer 34 to additionally printthe marker 92 generated in S105 on the recording medium 90. Here, whenthe printer 34 prints on a plurality of the recording mediums 90, thecontrol unit 28 may cause the marker 92 to be printed on all therecording mediums 90, or may cause the marker 92 to be printed on only aspecific recording medium 90, for example, the first sheet among theplurality of the recording mediums 90.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, when the printer 34 prints the image 91 basedon the print data received in S101 on the plurality of the recordingmediums 90, the control unit 28 may cause one marker 92 to be printedacross the plurality of the recording mediums 90 and may cause theplurality of recording mediums 90 to be displaced in a state where themarker 92 printed across the plurality of the recording mediums 90appears and to be discharged to a discharge unit 34 a. When the printer34 prints the marker 92 across the plurality of the recording mediums 90and prints the marker 92 across two or more recording mediums 90 amongthe plurality of the recording mediums 90, the control unit 28 does nothave to cause the marker 92 to be printed across all the plurality ofthe recording mediums 90.

As illustrated in FIG. 10, the control unit 28 transmits a job ID of thepresent print job based on the print data received in S101, the user IDin the information for authentication received in S101, and the documentimage as the print job target, that is, the image 91 based on the printdata received in S101, to the server 40 after the process S107. Thiscauses the server 40 to update the document management information 44 b(see S108) for terminating the operation illustrated in FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 illustrates an operation of the MFP 30 when print data isreceived.

After the user transmits the print data to the MFP 30 from the computer(not illustrated), the MFP 30 performs the operation illustrated in FIG.13.

The control unit 39 in the MFP 30 performs the processes S101 to S106,similarly to the operation illustrated in FIG. 10, as illustrated inFIG. 13.

The control unit 39 performs the printing based on the print datareceived in S101 after the process S106 (see S111). Here, the controlunit 39 determines a discharge unit 34 a, to which a printed recordingmedium is discharged, corresponding to the user who has instructedexecution of the printing on the recording medium, that is, the user IDas the information for the authentication 44 a received in S101.

For example, after the process S111, the control unit 39 displays themarker generated in S105 on the marker display 35 located correspondingto the discharge unit 34 a, to which the recording medium is dischargedin S111, as illustrated in FIG. 14 (see S112).

After the process S112, the control unit 39 performs the process S108,similarly to the operation illustrated in FIG. 10, to terminate theoperation illustrated in FIG. 13.

Next, the following describes an operation of the mobile device 50 whenthe marker is photographed.

FIG. 15 illustrates the operation of the mobile device 50 when themarker is photographed.

The information acquisition unit 58 a in the mobile device 50 starts todisplay a photographed image photographed by the imaging unit 53 on thedisplay 52 as illustrated in FIG. 15 (see S131).

Next, the information acquisition unit 58 a determines whether or notthe photographed image photographed by the imaging unit 53 includes themarker (see S132). Here, the user of the mobile device 50 causes theimaging unit 53 to photograph the marker 92 printed on the recordingmedium 90 illustrated in FIG. 11 or FIG. 12 to be included in thephotographed image photographed by the imaging unit 53. Similarly, theuser of the mobile device 50 causes the imaging unit 53 to photographthe marker displayed on the marker display 35 illustrated in FIG. 14 tobe included in the photographed image photographed by the imaging unit53.

When, in S132, the information acquisition unit 58 a determines that thephotographed image photographed by the imaging unit 53 includes themarker, the information acquisition unit 58 a acquires the user ID,which is associated with the marker included in the photographed imageto be registered in the marker management information 44 c in the server40, and the location information, which is associated with this user IDto be registered in the desk position information 44 d in the server 40(see S133).

Then, the information acquisition unit 58 a cause the display 52 todisplay a combined image combined with the user ID obtained in S133 at aposition corresponding to the marker in the photographed imagephotographed by the imaging unit 53 (see S134).

For example, when the user of the mobile device 50 causes the imagingunit 53 to photograph the marker 92 printed on the recording medium 90illustrated in FIG. 11, the information acquisition unit 58 a causes thedisplay 52 to display a combined image combined with “USER 001” as theuser ID obtained in S133 as illustrated in FIG. 16.

When the user of the mobile device 50 causes the imaging unit 53 tophotograph the marker displayed on the marker display 35 illustrated inFIG. 14, the information acquisition unit 58 a causes the display 52 todisplay a combined image combined with “USER 001,” “USER 002,” and “USER003,” which are user IDs obtained in S133, as illustrated in FIG. 17.

As illustrated in FIG. 15, when, in S132, the information acquisitionunit 58 a determines that the photographed image photographed by theimaging unit 53 does not include the marker or when, in S135, theinformation acquisition unit 58 a determines that a specific periodelapses after the execution of the process S134, the informationacquisition unit 58 a performs the process S132.

Next, the following describes an operation of the mobile device 50 whennotifying a position of the user who has instructed the execution of theprinting.

FIG. 18 illustrates the operation of the mobile device 50 when notifyingthe position of the user who has instructed the execution of theprinting.

When the mobile device 50 causes the display 52 to display a combinedimage, which combines the photographed image photographed by the imagingunit 53 with the user ID, and is instructed, via the operation unit 51,to notify the position of the user with the user ID assigned to the userwho causes the display 52 to display the combined image, the mobiledevice 50 performs the operation illustrated in FIG. 18.

The position notification image output unit 58 b in the mobile device 50starts to display the photographed image photographed by the imagingunit 53 on the display 52 as illustrated in FIG. 18 (see S141).

Next, the position notification image output unit 58 b determineswhether or not the photographed image photographed by the imaging unit53 includes the position of the user who has instructed the execution ofthe printing based on a position of the mobile device 50 detected by theposition detection unit 54, a photographing direction of the imagingunit 53 based on a direction detected by the direction detection unit55, and the location information acquired in S133 (see S142).

When, in S142, the position notification image output unit 58 bdetermines that the photographed image includes the position of the userwho has instructed the execution of the printing, the positionnotification image output unit 58 b combines the photographed image witha position instruction image that instructs a position corresponding tothe location information acquired in S133, so as to generate a positionnotification image (see S143).

FIG. 19A illustrates an exemplary image of an actual desk positionphotographed by the imaging unit 53. FIG. 19B illustrates an exemplaryposition notification image that is generated based on the imageillustrated in FIG. 19A.

As illustrated in FIGS. 19A to 19B, a position notification image 61 isa combined image, which combines: a photographed image 60 of an actualdesk position with a position instruction image 62 that instructs theposition of the user who has instructed the execution of the printing, athumbnail 63 of a printed image, and the user ID of the user who hasinstructed the execution of the printing.

The position notification image output unit 58 b causes the display 52to display the position notification image generated in S143 after theprocess S143 as illustrated in FIG. 18 (see S144).

When, in S142, the position notification image output unit 58 bdetermines that the photographed image does not include the position ofthe user who has instructed the execution of the printing, or when, inS145, the position notification image output unit 58 b determines that aspecific period has elapsed after the execution of the process S144, theposition notification image output unit 58 b performs the process S142.

As described above, the image forming system 10 prints the markerassociated with the location information of the user on the recordingmedium (see S107) to output the position notification image, whichnotifies the position corresponding to the location information of theuser associated with the marker photographed by the imaging unit 53, tothe display 52 (see S144). This ensures identification of the positionof the user who has instructed the execution of the printing after theprinting.

Additionally, the image forming system 10 prints the marker associatedwith the user ID of the user on the recording medium (see S107) tooutput the user ID, which is associated with the marker photographed bythe imaging unit 53, to the display 52 (see S134 and S144). This ensuresidentification of the user who has instructed the execution of theprinting after the printing.

When the image forming system 10 prints the marker, which is associatedwith the user ID and the location information of the user, on therecording medium and has a configuration where at least a part ofprinting contents instructed from the user is employed as the marker,the image forming system 10 does not need to print a dedicated marker onthe recording medium. This prevents a reduction of visibility oforiginal printing contents of the recording medium due to the dedicatedmarker.

When the image forming system 10 prints the marker associated with theuser ID on the recording medium, additionally prints one marker 92across the plurality of the recording medium 90 as illustrated in FIG.12, and even original printing contents of the recording medium 90 haslittle margin, the image forming system 10 identifies the user who hasinstructed the execution of the printing based on a dedicated marker 92after the printing.

The image forming system 10 displays the marker, which is associatedwith the location information of the user, on the marker display 35located corresponding to the discharge unit 34 a, to which a printedrecording medium is discharged, (see S112) to output the positionnotification image, which notifies the position corresponding to thelocation information of the user associated with the marker photographedby the imaging unit 53, to the display 52 (see S144). This ensuresidentification of the position of the user who has instructed theexecution of the printing after the printing.

Additionally, the image forming system 10 displays the marker, which isassociated with the user ID, on the marker display 35 locatedcorresponding to the discharge unit 34 a, to which a printed recordingmedium is discharged, (see S112) to output the user ID, which isassociated with the marker photographed by the imaging unit 53, to thedisplay 52 (see S134 and S144). This ensures identification of the userwho has instructed the execution of the printing after the printing.

When the image forming system 10 displays the marker associated with theuser ID on the marker display 35, the image forming system 10 determinesthe discharge unit 34 a, to which a printed recording medium is to bedischarged, corresponding to the user who has instructed the executionof the printing on the recording medium. This ensures identification ofthe user using the discharge unit 34 a, to which a printed recordingmedium has been discharged.

The image forming system 10 displays a combined image, which combinesthe position corresponding to the marker in the photograph image withthe user ID (see S134). Thus, even when the photographed image includesa plurality of the markers, the image forming system 10 identifies theusers respectively associated with the plurality of the markers.

When the image forming system 10 has a configuration where the imageforming system 10 outputs the user ID, which is associated with themarker included in the photographed image photographed by the imagingunit 53, to the display 52, this eliminates the need for an AR(Augmented Reality) technique. For example, when the user of the mobiledevice 50 causes the imaging unit 53 to photograph the marker 92 printedon the recording medium 90 illustrated in FIG. 11, the positionnotification image output unit 58 b in the mobile device 50 may display“USER 001” as the user ID obtained in S133 on the display 52 asillustrated in FIG. 20.

When the image forming system 10 uses an image of the recording mediumphotographed by the imaging unit 53 as the thumbnail 63 included in theposition notification image 61, the image forming system 10 displays theposition of the user who has instructed the execution of the printingand a printed image of the recording medium in one position notificationimage 61. This ensures the reduced possibility for causing a passmistake when the printed recording medium is passed to the user who hasinstructed the execution of the printing.

The image forming system 10 does not necessarily to employ the image ofthe recording medium photographed by the imaging unit 53 as thethumbnail 63 of the position notification image 61, and may employ athumbnail associated with the marker photographed by the imaging unit 53and registered in the document management information 44 b in the server40, as the thumbnail 63 of the position notification image 61. Even inthis configuration, the image forming system 10 causes the position ofthe user who has instructed the execution of the printing and athumbnail of the printed recording medium to be included in one positionnotification image. This ensures the reduced possibility for causing thepass mistake when the printed recording medium is passed to the user whohas instructed the execution of the printing.

The image forming system 10 combines the photographed image with theposition instruction image to facilitate search of the user who hasinstructed the execution of the printing.

The image forming system 10 does not necessarily to combine the positioninstruction image with the photographed image, and the image formingsystem 10 may cause the display 52 to display a combined image, whichcombines a preliminarily prepared desk-position table with the positioninstruction image. In this case, location information of the deskposition information 44 d may be any information that indicates aposition in the desk position table.

The image forming system 10 displays not only the position of the userwho has instructed the execution of the printing but also the user ID ofthe user who has instructed the execution of the printing in the oneposition notification image (see S144). This ensures appropriateidentification of the user who has instructed the execution of theprinting.

While the image forming system 10 displays the user ID, which is oneaspect of the identification information of the user, on the display 52as described above, the image forming system 10 may displayidentification information other than the user ID on the display 52. Forexample, the image forming system 10 may display a user name, which isone aspect of the identification information of the user, on the display52. When the image forming system 10 displays the user name, which isone aspect of the identification information of the user, on the display52, the user name may be identified by using the user ID and the userinformation when the display 52 displays the user name, assuming that,for example, the server 40 stores user information, which associates:the user ID, which is one aspect of the identification information ofthe user; and the user name, which is one aspect of the identificationinformation of the user.

As described above, while the image forming system 10 generates themarker at every process of FIG. 10 or FIG. 13 (see S105), the imageforming system 10 does not need to generate the marker each time whenusing a specific marker for each user.

Even when the user forgets to take a recording medium, on which the MFPhas performed the printing based on print data received from an outside,from a discharge unit of the MFP, the image forming system 10 ensuresthe identification of the user who has instructed the execution ofprinting and the position of this user with simple operation after theprinting. Additionally, even when the MFP does not perform the printingbased on the print data received from the outside, the image formingsystem 10 ensures the identification of the user who has instructed theexecution of the printing and the position of this user after theprinting. For example, even when a printer prints an image read by ascanner, that is, in a case of copying, the image forming system 10ensures the identification of the user who has instructed the executionof the copying and the position of this user after the printing using amechanism similar to a mechanism in the case of the printing performedby the MFP based on the print data received from the outside.

As described above, the image forming system 10 determines the markerduring printing time. However, the image forming system 10 may determinethe marker at a time point other than a time point of the printing. Forexample, in the case of the copying, the image forming system 10 maydetermine the marker at a time point at which the scanner reads theimage.

In the image forming system 10, at least one MFP among the plurality ofthe MFPs may achieve at least a part of functions of the server 40. Whenat least one MFP among the plurality of the MFPs achieves all thefunctions of the server 40, the image forming system 10 does not have toinclude the server 40. For example, in the image forming system 10,respective MFPs themselves may store document management information andmarker management information.

While in the embodiment the image forming system 10 includes an MFP asan image forming apparatus of the disclosure, the image forming system10 may include an image forming apparatus other than an MFP, such as aprinter-only machine and a copy-only machine as the image formingapparatus of the disclosure.

While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, otheraspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes ofillustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scopeand spirit being indicated by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image forming system, comprising: a portableterminal device that includes an imaging device and an output device; animage forming apparatus that performs printing on a recording medium;and a marker registration circuit that registers a marker; wherein theimage forming apparatus prints the marker associated with locationinformation of a user who has instructed the execution of the printingon the recording medium, the marker registration circuit registers thelocation information associated with the marker, and the portableterminal device includes an information acquisition circuit thatphotographs the marker printed on the recording medium using the imagingdevice, so as to acquire the location information registered in themarker registration circuit, the location information being associatedwith the marker photographed by the imaging device, and a positionnotification image output circuit that outputs a position notificationimage that notifies a position corresponding to the location informationacquired by the information acquisition circuit to the output device. 2.The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the positionnotification image output circuit includes an image of the recordingmedium photographed by the imaging device in the position notificationimage.
 3. An image forming system, comprising: a portable terminaldevice that includes an imaging device and an output device; an imageforming apparatus that performs printing on a recording medium; and amarker registration circuit that registers a marker; wherein the imageforming apparatus includes a discharge unit that discharges a printedrecording medium, and a display device located corresponding to thedischarge unit, the image forming apparatus displays the markerassociated with location information of a user who has instructed theexecution of the printing on the display device located corresponding tothe discharge unit that discharges the recording medium, the markerregistration circuit registers the location information associated withthe marker, and the portable terminal device includes an informationacquisition circuit that photographs the marker displayed on the displaydevice using the imaging device, so as to acquire the locationinformation registered in the marker registration circuit, the locationinformation being associated with the marker photographed by the imagingdevice, and a position notification image output circuit that outputs aposition notification image that notifies a position corresponding tothe location information acquired by the information acquisition circuitto the output device.
 4. The image forming system according to claim 1,wherein: the marker registration circuit associates a thumbnail of animage printed on the recording medium with the marker and registers theassociated thumbnail; and the position notification image output circuitincludes the thumbnail in the position notification image, the thumbnailbeing associated with the marker photographed by the imaging device andregistered in the marker registration circuit.
 5. The image formingsystem according to claim 1, wherein the portable terminal devicecombines a position instruction image that instructs a positioncorresponding to the location information in a photographed imagephotographed by the imaging device to generate the position notificationimage.
 6. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein: themarker registration circuit associates identification information of theuser with the marker and registers the associated identificationinformation; the information acquisition circuit acquires the locationinformation and the identification information, the location informationand the identification information being associated with the markerphotographed by the imaging device and registered in the markerregistration circuit; and the position notification image output circuitincludes the identification information acquired by the informationacquisition circuit in the position notification image.